Davese Galla-Rini says she also steers clear of the center when it’s crowded – “I avoid it “the District Tustin Legacy” like the plague during busy times”

Tustin, California –

Are these the worst places to park in Orange County?

The District Tustin Legacy

2437 Park Ave., Tustin, Ca

The howling about traffic flow and parking here started when this mega-shopping center opened in 2007. Despite valet parking, traffic monitors to help pedestrians cross District Drive at peak times and the opening of a loop behind the back of the center, complaints persist.

The mix of 75 retailers includes big-box stores, movie theaters, restaurants, a bowling alley, a pedestrian mall and a Whole Foods. Customers say they’re confused by the parking configurations, which adds to the congestion.

Rebecca Gomez, a 35-year-old office manager who lives in Santa Ana, said it once took her 15 minutes to get out of the District’s parking lot.

“I was trying to get out that exit (near) the Michaels … You can’t even pull out of the parking lot to get in line for the exit.”

Davese Galla-Rini says she also steers clear of the center when it’s crowded. “I avoid it like the plague during busy times,” says the 44-year-old mother of four who works as a labor and delivery nurse. “The design is just terrible.”

Stoffel is no fan of the setup at the Michaels/Whole Foods part of the lot, but he says, “Like many other centers, there is no shortage of parking spaces, just not enough where people want to park.”